Japan Faces Severe Summer Heat as Tokyo Expands Cool Biz Dress Code

According to Lianhe Zaobao, Japan's weather agency warned that this summer could again match last year's record heat, as turmoil in the Middle East pushes up energy prices and extreme heatwaves hit many countries. Tokyo Metropolitan Government has launched a “Tokyo Cool Biz” campaign that further relaxes dress rules for civil servants, allowing shorts at work. The Japan Meteorological Agency and the Environment Ministry issued Tokyo's first heatstroke alert of the year on Wednesday, July 15, urging people to avoid outdoor activity and use air-conditioning. Schools in Japan have set 31 degrees Celsius as the threshold at which outdoor sports must stop and indoor air-conditioning must be switched on. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said shorts could be worn to work depending on the job, while some employees in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building have already begun wearing T-shirts and short-sleeve shirts on hot days.